One Step Forward
by Stephy825
Summary: It was supposed to be a normal day...until Rex finds himself caught in a car accident. Now he wakes up, and sees a huge plain filled with dinosaurs-wait, what? What's going on here? And why is there a Carnotaurus after him?
1. First Step

First Step

The small amounts of sunlight streamed from the blinds as a boy of twelve woke up from his sleep. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and yawned. "Mhm...morning already?" he mumbled as he turned to the window. Getting the blanket of his body, he reached for the string that unfolded the blinds and pulled it, making the lights a little more intense in the room.

Suddenly, a small grunt came from the edge of the bed, making the boy's view shift to it. "Oh Ace, did I wake you up?" the blonde asked with a small smile on his face. Another groan followed as the little blue dinosaur shot up into view, a little annoyed from the sudden movement. Ace was a _Carnotaurus_, a blue skinned one with yellow horns, and has a weird dislike to water. You may be wondering why he has a dinosaur in the first place, but that is another story.

"Rex? You awake?" a voice shouted from the door to his room. "Yeah, just give me a few minutes to change Max." he replied as he took a quick glance at his sky blue pajamas. Slipping his feet to his soft slippers he headed to his closet and grabbed the clothes he had. It was a weekend today, so he chose to have some casual clothing. He grabbed his white tee and wore his beige trousers, then got a short-sleeved light blue jacket and wore it over his shirt.

"'Kay, I'm done..." he muttered as he pushed the door open and stepped into the hallway. The boy was honestly surprised to see his friend dressed in his favorite outfit standing there, waiting for him; his clothes consisted of a red shirt with a yellow hood, matching gloves, orange pants and red and white shoes. "What's with you today?"

"Nothin'...we're going to help Zoe out."

"With what?" he asked.

"With Dr. Drake's work of course." he said it as if it was really obvious.

"So there aren't any new dinosaur cards or any sign of the Alpha Gang?" Rex questioned as Ace walked up behind him, staring at him blankly.

"Yup! It's a lucky break right?" the brown-haired boy beamed.

"So why are we working then..?"

"Stop asking questions Rex! C'mon, Zoe's waiting at the door!" he swiftly grabbed him by the wrist and started to pull him towards the stairs. "B-but I haven't eaten breakfast yet..!" he shouted as his slipper touched the first floor of Max's home. The other boy ignored him and led him to the door, turning the knob with his free hand. As he expected, the pink-haired girl was standing there with an impatient expression on her face. "What took you so long?" she asked with an irritated tone.

"Sorry." Max apologized. "Rex wasn't awake when you asked us to help you out."

"Max-!" the blond protested.

"Whatever, we have to hurry back. There seem to be more customers today than usual." she then took Max's hand the same fashion as he did to Rex and pulled the two along with her, running out of the yard and to the street. Rex sweat dropped as he was being dragged by his arm, he had a feeling he was going to skip breakfast today.

* * *

"Dad! I got Rex and Max to help us!" the girl shouted as she stepped in her own house and zipping past the line of people with their animals. "That's great Zoe..! We need all the help we could get!" the man replied as he was about to give an injection to a frightened Labrador. The next two hours were filled with the two boys running back and forth with supplies in their hands, trying to calm down different kinds of pets and assisting Dr. Drake whenever they were free. Apparently there's been a disease floating around that may actually kill animals, so most owners were worried and getting their pet's shots today. Even Chomp and Paris had theirs already...

"_Rex?_" his voice loud from all the commotion inside their home. "Where's Ace? He hasn't been injected with the vaccine yet!"

"A-ah...I left him at the house when Zoe and Max were _dragging_ me here." for fun, the blond emphasized the word 'dragging'. That made the duo smile sheepishly because they were helping the vet out with another scared cat.

"Bring him after we're done with these customers okay?" he nodded and ran back to the other room to fetch some towels.

After a while, the noise died down a little; not much people were waiting anymore, but they were still busy..."Kids, one of you has to go to the store and buy some medicine for me." he told them all of a sudden after getting them together.

"I'll go." Rex piped up and said it the first, which made Max grumble in response. "Okay then, here's the list and some money." the man handed him a piece of paper and a couple of bucks and he placed them both in his pocket. "Hurry back alright?" the blond nodded in return and rushed out of the house, feeling glad that he finally got some fresh air. The sun was high up in the sky now, meaning it was close to lunch time, and Rex was really hungry...

He soon arrived at the convenient store and grabbed the items he needed, along with some crackers to keep him from complaining. Paying the cashier, he went pass through the automatic glass doors with a plastic bag in his right hand and some food on his left, which was currently in his mouth. He was contented, it wouldn't last him that long, but it would suffice...or so he hoped.

Rex was walking back to Zoe's house when he noticed two kids playing at the other side, close to the street. He smiled as they were playing with a reddish-ball, and their voices sounded so happy and filled with energy. "...I can't waste too much time..." he muttered to himself as a reminder, and focused on going back. Suddenly, Rex cringed when he heard the ball hitting something hard, like it was bouncing on cement. They were playing on the grass, so that means-!

Turning around, he was shocked to see the girl with braided pig-tails trying to pick up the ball that landed in the near center of the road. And not far from where she was, a speeding car was coming towards her. Even though the car would hit the brakes, it would still be too late.

_A decision..._

Dropping the plastic bag and the crackers, Rex ran as fast as he could to her. He just had to lunge himself far enough...

_A single moment... _

When his foot touched solid pavement, he exerted all his strength into one jump with his arms extended to push the little girl off harm's way. She was holding the ball and saw the car; at that point Rex had enough force to shove her aside, not caring that the car would hit him instead.

The last thing he heard before he blacked out was the screeching of the brakes and the girl's scream.

**

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A/N : Yes, another one. I hope the ending of this chapter didn't come out too bad...yeah, I don't have much to say here this time. Other than that...poor Rex.**

**Please Review~**


	2. Second Step

Second Step

_...so...this is what it's like to die._

-o-

It was cold...freezing...I think. Actually, that may be just me because whatever I was lying on didn't feel like a road. My body felt rigid, yet I was able to flex my fingers a little. What surprised me was what I touched with the palm of my hand.

"_Grass?_" I thought since my throat felt so...dry it was almost as if I drank fire.

My eyes were closed, but my hearing seemed to be intact, because I could hear a lot of things going on around me...but they weren't ambulances and screams...which was weird because I expected a lot of those...unless I'm dead. No...I can't be dead. I felt grass, and I can still hear. Maybe I'm alive...but barely. Oddly though, I can't sense any pain...my nervous system went numb? No, again the grass...or it could be that I'm dreaming...

I'm dreaming even though I'm close to dying?

"This is getting confusing..." I muttered, which surprised me since my voice came out so...so..._normal_. Like I was never a victim of a hit-and-run. Like I was never tired from all the work I had to do to help Dr. Drake. Like everything was…_alright_.

Suddenly, it was as if the bonds holding me back were released, and I could move my arms around a little more. Again, I felt the same thing; the smooth sharp blades of the grass. "But that can't be right..."

Finally with some effort, I was able to open my eyes and blink a few times before I was able to push myself up. I couldn't believe what I saw afterward.

_Dinosaurs_. Lots of them. Roaming around with no care in the world. I thought I was going crazy, yet what I was lying on really was grass...actually, I was lying on a flat green plain.

I checked my body for any injuries...and shockingly, there weren't any. Not even a little scratch. What happened to the girl? The car? The supplies I needed to bring back..? "Where is everybody?" I shouted, happy that my throat doesn't hurt that much anymore. But that didn't help my spirits that much...because there were three ideas that I came up with.

"One, I am dead. Two, this has to be a dream and I could be at the hospital sleeping. And three...I found a way to go back in time and land in the Cretaceous Period...okay, maybe the third one's too far-fetched..." I continued to mumble. I then noticed that one dinosaur was staring at me. I didn't flee because I easily recognized it to be a baby Triceratops. It reminded me so much of Chomp, Max's dinosaur...except it didn't have that orange diamond on its head and its markings were purple instead of the color of flame...the strange thing was I thought that they would look more life-like instead of this adorable little dinosaur. If you painted the markings with the right color, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Max's dinosaur and this guy.

The little one kept looking at me, like it was waiting for me to do something...anything. I decided not to move and see what it would do...but maybe that wasn't such a good idea, because the staring contest dragged on for some time...it was so long that I lost count on how many minutes we were waiting. It felt like hours...but I knew that couldn't be possible since my shadow hasn't moved much from when we started.

Here's the good news: At that very moment, the Triceratops finally gave up on me and ran behind the trees.

The bad news: The reason was that there was a bigger shadow looming over me, and you'll only have to glance at it once just to know what you have to do.

"W-waaaah!" I screamed in horror as I ran as fast as I could from the large dinosaur behind me. It was a meat-eater, no doubt. What else would those pointy teeth be for?

More bad news: My legs were stiffer than I had previously thought, and I noticed I wasn't running at top speed. I swear I could feel the dinosaur's snout just inches from my back, and the only thing keeping me alive would be that I was panicking like crazy. The fear was able to push my legs to run faster when the predator was close enough just to pick me off the ground, but I knew I couldn't keep this up for long. I had to find a way to get it off my tail or else I'm going to die here, dream or not.

Only then I realized that I headed to a large group of herbivores grazing on the grass; not minding at all that I nearly got eaten around five times that moment. I had two choices right in front of me...one would be to dive in to the group and risk being trampled if they went into a frenzy, or the other would be to head to the groves nearby.

I chose the first.

Gathering the strength I had left, I made a wild jump to a nearby Ankylosaurus, which to be honest is pretty stupid since the dinosaur had a bony plate and even had spikes on it. Fortunately, I was able to move my body to make myself land on the grass. Unfortunately, I landed right in front of the Ankylosaurus' face.

I cringed when it cried out loud in surprise, alarming the other herbivores. And _then_ they noticed the rampaging predator.

Swiftly, I grabbed onto the same Ankylo's back and climbed on it, hoping that it would help me survive. The group was in like a stampede, except a ton more dangerous because most of these guys were like fifteen feet tall and their feet were huge. I could feel the giant lizard swerve left and right, avoiding the steps of the others. I took the chance to glance back and saw that we were at the first of a large collection of frightened plant-eaters running in the same direction, and at the far back the Carnotaurus was-

"Wait, a _Carnotaurus_?" I shouted in shock. I only noticed now that the dinosaur that was chasing me looked eerily like Ace in his original form. As in, the colors, the features, everything..."But what are the odds that actually could be Ace..? And if it was, there's no way he could know me..." I muttered to myself over the deafening noise surrounding me.

At last, the Carnotaurus stopped in its tracks and watched me and the other dinosaurs run as fast as they could to another plain where they could enjoy their meal in peace. I was being carried with them, so I had no choice but to go wherever they were going. I looked back at the small carnivore one last time, wondering if I had the chance to talk to it...

"What am I thinking..? I can't talk to dinosaurs...that will just get me a one-way ticket to death."

* * *

The day passed on quickly, and soon I found myself staring at the stars in the night sky, with the only thing I ate would be some wild berries I discovered and luckily weren't poisonous. How could I sleep after everything that has happened? I can't stick to the herbivore group forever..."How did I even wound up here? If this was a dream, shouldn't I be waking up by now..?" I sighed and lay down on the soft grass as a light wind blew by, ruffling my already messy blond hair.

All of a sudden, I saw a figure approach me, only to find out it was the same Tricera baby I was staring at before. Oddly, it didn't even take cautious steps...it just trotted towards me like I was its cousin or something of the sort. "...what do you want..?" I asked it.

I then noticed it was carrying some red and blue colored berries on its back. Surprisingly, it made a gesture to get some. "...are you sure..?" stunningly, it seemed to have nodded in response.

What else could I do? I got some of them and ate it.

"...hey, these actually taste pretty good..." I murmured as I took another one from its back. The dinosaur smiled at me as it moved its body to make the berries fall on my lap. I thanked it and continued on eating, satisfying my hunger a lot.

After I was done, it sat down beside me and started to gaze at the stars like what I was doing before it came. I joined it, and even though I knew it wouldn't understand me, I pointed out the constellations I knew, tracing it with my finger. For some reason, the little lizard understood me, and grew more interested the more I talked about it.

I felt happy all of a sudden. Maybe it was because I didn't have anyone to talk to at this point...even if it couldn't speak, I felt like we were already friends. But what bothered me was the Carnotaurus that attacked us awhile ago. Now that I was out of danger, I was thinking more clearly about it. Why did it attack me in the first place? I mean, I'm really tiny compared to other dinosaurs it can eat...why did it target me of all living things? Was there a reason behind it? Or did it think I was easy prey?

The Tricera's snore snapped me out of my thoughts...yet I never knew dinosaurs could actually snore. "He's becoming more like Max the way I see it..." I said softly. Out of the blue, I yawned as well. I guess I should sleep. If I'm going to stay here, then I'll need all the energy I could get.

I thought back to what Max, Zoe and the others would be doing. Were they worried about me? I was positive that I got hit by that car...

I hung on to that little glimpse of hope that I was alive...then I fell asleep with the baby right beside me.

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**A/N : Wooh...another one! I normally don't update as quick, but it was fun to try doing Rex...yes, it is becoming more confusing...what do you think? Do you believe Rex _is _alive?**

**Please Review as usual~  
**


	3. Third Step

Third Step

_Is it right for a human to be here..? In this preserved world deep in history?_

-o-

Today wasn't my best of mornings...you want to know why? It's because I started with something really heavy on my chest, so heavy that I was having a hard time breathing. Even if my eyes were open now, that wasn't enough to get rid of the Tricera baby on top of me. It growled at me in a cute way, as if it wanted me to get up. "How can I sit if you're on me?" I asked it. There was a sense of shock and embarrassment on its face as soon as I said that, and then it quickly jumped down on the ground beside me. Rubbing my chest a little as I got the upper part of my body off the bright green grass, it was only then I saw that I was surrounded by large dinosaurs with scratches and wounds on each of them.

"W-what the..?" I mumbled in surprise. The little dino began to nudge me again, and then it ran to one of the bigger herbivores. I then noticed it looked almost like it, so I assumed it was its parent.

_'Mhm...eh? What is it..?'_ all of a sudden, I heard a voice out of nowhere. It sounded a little old, but I was positive it was a girl's. "B-but...there aren't any humans here except me...right?" I thought.

_'He's awake..? Oh alright...I'll talk to him...'_

Out of the blue, the same huge Triceratops walked closer to me with what I guessed was a grin. The giant lizard stared at me with its black eyes; I gulped. Even if it is a plant-eater, it's still scary when they look at you like that..._'Are you alright? You're not hurt are you?'_

I had to force myself to believe that it was the dinosaur actually speaking to me. "...you can talk?"

_'Yes...in a way. You don't seem to be of our kind...'_ I swore her face was barely inches away from mine. _'Who_ are _you..?'_

I was practically trembling with fear. What was I supposed to say? That I came from the future? That I don't belong here at all..? "My name's Rex...Rex Owen." I managed to say; my voice was shaking with fright.

_'Rex...as in, like the Tyrannosaurus Rex..? You don't seem to have the canines to be a carnivore...' _I think she just cocked her head in confusion...but it's hard to tell since I was focusing more on her voice.

"N-no no...I'm not a dinosaur..."

_'Then what are you then child..?'_

"Uh-uhm...I'm a...a human..." I stammered.

_'...a mammal.'_ she smiled.

"Right-wait, how did you know that?"

_'It was a guess...now, where did you come from?'_ the Triceratops continued to question me.

"F-from the future..." I responded, which to be honest was the worst answer I could give.

_'Ah...'_ surprisingly, she seemed to have understood what I meant by 'future'. _'Where are your parents?'_

I fell silent after she asked me that. The herbivore blinked once, then rubbed me cheek gently. _'If you don't want to answer that question, then don't. We need to build trust between each other instead of fight after all...'_

"Thanks..." I muttered while smiling, and then I recalled the red scratches on her body and the others. "Did something bad happen last night?" I asked.

_'...we were attacked.'_

"By who?"

_'The same Carnotaurus that nearly ate you yesterday.' _I froze. I thought it gave up on the group and me, why did it come back? _'For some reason, it was targeting you the most...'_ she added. _'Fortunately, we were able to defend you in time. But he was able to cause some injuries-'_

"Are you okay?" I suddenly questioned.

_'Yes...I am fine.'_

"That's good." I sighed in relief. Out of the blue, the little Tricera pulled on my pants with its mouth, trying to get my attention. I smiled as I picked it up and carried it on my arms. "Does he have a name..?"

_'She's a girl, and no...we don't give names to each other.'_

"Oh...but won't it be easier to communicate if you had names?"

_'Actually, we do not normally talk to each other to survive. We just follow...protect our young...you might know what we are talking about...'_ I nodded in reply, and then I shifted my view to the horizon where the sun was just going up to the sky. "Are you going to leave me here?" I asked the herbivore.

_'What gave you that idea?'_ she asked me back.

"I'm a stranger and have no worth to your group...I'm just dragging you down ain't I? And plus, you said that Carnotaurus is after me, so won't it be better if you left me?" the baby began to move around my arms, as if protesting to what I just said. Well, she was barking at me at the same time...

_'...you are, as I said, a child. As a parent, I cannot just abandon you...especially when you hold no evil in your heart. To leave you alone would be something I could never forgive myself...that is my answer.'_ the Tricera smiled soothingly. After she said that, I felt like crying...whoever knew dinosaurs hold such strong family ties..? Whenever I think of my family, I can only imagine dad, the Taylors, and the Drakes...I don't even have a clue what my real parents look like...but they've been with me for as long as I can remember. I recall when I thought how I could survive without them, and it haunted me badly...

I'm in the realm of the Cretaceous Period, and already I found someone I can lean on. A tear escaped my eye, and more followed, which made the mother worried. _'Did I say something wrong..?' _I shook my head as I tried to wipe the tears of my cheeks. "N-no...it's just that...I never expected someone here to accept me so easily..." I said while sniffling a bit. "I was hoping that this was a dream...but if it wasn't, I was afraid to die here. Now I have someone to protect me, and that makes me feel...like this isn't a nightmare anymore..."

The bigger dinosaur nudged me again with its snout. _'Survival is important...but to help others counts more than that.' _I nodded in agreement. The Triceratops turned around, and said this to me before she disappeared into the group of plant-eaters. _'Take care of my daughter, will you Rex?' _she smirked._ 'I have to go to the leader first.'_

"Of course..." I beamed in reply, even though she was slightly out of hearing range. I set the little one down and we stared at each other for a few moments. "So...from now on I'll call you _Tri_, and your mom _Cera_."

Tri seemed to grin at me at her new name.

* * *

The leader of the group was in fact, another kind of Ankylosaurus, but more...you could say, bonier. I was a little surprised how a Euoplocephalus could actually lead in the first place since scientists have always said that dinosaurs were barely one-tenth of our regular IQ. Guess...they were wrong about brain size is everything...

I was able to catch small parts of his speech to the other dinosaurs; something about me tagging along and they would have to increase night watch if the Carnotaurus comes back. I looked down to the grass, a little depressed, but Cera said it was fine, yet that didn't help that I was hindering them.

As soon as the Euoplocephalus was done, the herd began to move all at the same direction; somewhere west of where we slept. Another word I was able to hear before they began to move was 'waterhole' so I guessed that they were heading to a nearby body of water.

Tri was sitting next to me as Cera carried the both of us on her back. I was looking at the scenery behind her spiny...um; I think they would call it a frill. From a book, I recall it's one of the Triceratops distinct characteristics...well, I wasn't too sure, but it's safe to say that they're as popular as the T-Rex.

We kept on moving for hours without stopping. Again I was surprised about their stamina as well. They haven't even taken a little break from all the walking...I was tempted to ask them how much longer they would take to get to get to our destination, but before I could, I heard a piercing scream from the back. A loud roar followed them, sending chills down my spine.

I was really afraid to, but I glanced behind us anyway...

And there was the Carnotaurus, shoving and attacking all the dinosaurs, trying to get to…_me_.

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A/N : I made Cera sound so wise...which makes me feel...weird. Haha...anyway, yes! Another update! Woohoo! Maybe I made Rex a little OOC in this chapter...meh, that will be for you, the reader to decide. Oh and yes, I have done some research on the dinosaurs...I can't just make random ones now can I?  
**

**Please Review~!**


	4. Fourth Step

Fourth Step

_Never underestimate what a dinosaur can do._

-o-

Anyone who was actually sane would run for their lives once they saw that death glare from the Carnotaurus. Cera was different though, she told us to get off her and find a safe place to hide. I was about to ask her what was she planning, but with a battle stance like that, the words 'Are you _insane_?' came out instead. I swear it was by accident, and I know a Triceratops can stand its ground against powerful meat-eaters. But she was already wounded yesterday; can she really hold the other dinosaur off? _All by herself_?

I lead Tri to a grove nearby, and we were peeking from behind the tree trunk to see what was going on. It wasn't pretty that's to be sure. The plain was splashed with blood everywhere, and most of the herbivores were down with deep gashes on their belly and backs. They may have a better chance if it wasn't a surprise attack. And I can't help feel that it's my entire fault. Though at that time I couldn't think about that now, I was panicking about how Cera was going to stop a rampaging carnivore without dying. The mini Tricera was practically barking at the predator, but I told her to stay quiet, or her mom's bravery might go to waste because it will turn and attack us. But she didn't listen, and strangely her barks and growls grew louder and louder. Even the adult plant-eater heard it, and I saw it was trying to tell her to stay silent.

Unfortunately we were too late.

The Carnotaurus that was a few yards from Cera shifted to our direction, like it was sniffing for my scent. A thought crossed my mind, if it was specifically after me, then that meant the dinosaur wasn't after food at all. He didn't even bite the other herbivores further, he just wanted me. But why?

I didn't had the chance to think it further since the Triceratops smashed onto her opponent and while she was doing that she shouted to the both of us as she kept the enemy pinned down on the ground. _'Run!'_

We quickly did what she said, and went deeper into the forest area. I didn't know what happened to Cera at all, but the sickening crunch of bone crushed my hopes into a million pieces before we were out of ear-shot.

* * *

Soon, we both stopped and took a break under one of the taller trees of the grove. I sat down on its roots and tried to catch my breath while Tri was staring blankly at the dark path we were just on. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her...she must have heard the sound too. And at this point maybe Cera's...

"No..! S-she can't be...come on Rex..! _Believe_ in her. She'll be _fine_..." somehow I managed to convince myself to still have faith in the mother Triceratops. Patting Tri's head softly, I gestured for us to continue on going. It nodded, but I could have sworn I saw tears in her eyes.

I felt an hour pass by as we went further in...I had no idea where we were going or headed at all. Fortunately Tri was there all the way so I didn't feel as scared as I would usually be. The fact that I had company wasn't making me feel any better though...we were lost, and both of us knew we were starving...

I suddenly heard the gushing sound of a river nearby. I then had a driving instinct to go to it, like it was tempting me to walk forward. Both of us had no choice and started to walk in a single direction. Soon the forest gradually grew thinner until the sunlight finally shined on my eyes.

We arrived at the waterhole.

I saw all kinds of dinosaurs; some that I don't even recognize. Tri already went ahead and began drinking the water from the large stream that seemed to be a gathering place for all herbivores. I couldn't see a carnivore or any potential threat in sight. There was abundant vegetation of all kinds and sizes plus the river that formed pockets like small lakes where babies can safely walk on. Everything seemed...perfect. Too perfect for my taste. Maybe the other predators were somewhere else..?

I was surprised that the sky above me was colored in orange and red; there was some purple too. The sun has set as well and I even spotted the first star on the _firmament_...I just used a vocabulary word that I learned in English class. Weird.

Out of the blue I heard a low moan coming from a nearby cave. Strange that I never noticed it before, but I was wondering whether to approach it or not. Who knows what could be in there...but the constant groans suggest that the creature's injured...or hungry.

I decided to leave Tri for a moment and cautiously made my way there. The rock formation was on top of a small hill and it looked like a great natural resting place for any dinosaur. Yes, the entrance was quite big then.

I was shocked and stunned when I peeked inside.

There on the soil was the same Carnotaurus that has been trying to get me ever since I got here. Its eyes were closed and seemed to be wailing in pain. I began to scan his body to see where the wound was...I found it. It was on its leg. To the looks of things, it was a bite mark. What confused me was the teeth belonged to something big and had large canines..."Another predator?" I muttered.

To my mistake, the carnivore looked up and saw me. I cringed in fear, but all it did was to stare at me...or glare, I wasn't sure. The dinosaur actually sighed, and laid his head on the firm ground again.

"You're...you're not going to eat me?" I murmured. I have no idea why I tried speaking to it, yet I could talk to Cera...right?

_'Not hungry.'_ it replied. The voice sounded like a male that just hit puberty or something.

"Then why were you trying to eat me then?" I continued to question.

_'I never wanted to eat you. Besides, you're not worth it. Too small.'_ for some reason I felt slightly annoyed. "So...why did you..?"

The Carnotaurus turned his head and avoided my gaze as if he was thinking the same question. _'I...I don't know. I feel something strange whenever I see you...but, I don't understand it at all.'_

"You thought I...could answer your problem?" he nodded. "Y-you attacked the herbivores just to get an answer? What's wrong with you?" I suddenly began to shout in anger.

_'I admit that I may have gone overboard awhile ago...but do not fret, the injuries I sustained on them can be healed...unless...' _the dinosaur stopped.

"Unless...unless what?" I turned my attention to the wound on his leg. "Did it have to do with anything about the bite mark on you?"

He hesitated before responding. _'I didn't expect it at all...that another dinosaur would come in and feast on the others.'_

I stood there motionless.

_'It was a T-Rex of all predators...he caught me off guard and attacked me so that he could get rid of the competition. That bite was powerful too...it broke my leg so bad that maybe my bones are in pieces...' _I then remembered the time when we were escaping and heard bones cracking. Could it be what Tri and I heard was-?

_'I'm not sure what happened afterward...but when the commotion was all over, I was shocked over the devastation that single T-Rex did. Blood was splattered everywhere, bodies laid on the ground never to move again...and so on.'_ the Carnotaurus told it with a sad tone. I guess not all carnivores are this gruesome.

"What happened to the Triceratops that was there with you?" I was scared of what he was going to say next, but it was now or never. I had to know if Cera was okay...or dead.

_'She might have escaped him...'_ he started. _'But honestly I don't know. Sorry.'_

"It's fine...at least there's a possibility that she's fine." I replied. We were silent again for some time in that cave. I felt weird talking to a meat-eater like this...

_'You are not a dinosaur right?'_ the Carnotaurus suddenly asked.

"Yeah, I'm...uhm, a mammal."

_'That explains your size.'_ I made a small grunt. _'I have never spent this long with a mammal before.'_ now that sent chills down my spine.

"Don't you have any friends or family?"

_'We're predators, we act independently.'_

"Oh...right." again, stillness. "Mind if I call you Ace for the time being?"

_'Ace..?'_

"Uh huh...that's the name of a...friend of mine."

_'Friend...what is that?'_

"You don't know what a friend is?" I asked incredulously. I was answered with a simple stare from him. "A friend is like someone you can count on no matter what. They stay with you, talk with you. Have fun, and watch your back if something happens. When you're sad they can be the ones to comfort you. In great times they are the ones that are with you and celebrating with you at the same time. To not have friends is something against humans. I don't think people can survive without at least having someone to be with."

_'Human...'_ he muttered. _'That is what you are called?'_

"Well...no. We have names...mine's Rex."

_'T-Rex?'_

"No..." this felt like déjà-vu. "It's just what many call me."

_'I see...'_ the Carnotaurus' voice trailed off.

"Ace?"

_'Yes?'_ I smiled when he responded to the name I gave him.

"You're still not going to eat me right?"

_'...nah. You're worth too much to be eaten.'_

_

* * *

_**A/N : **I love the last line...X3

Sorry that it took so long to get here! And well, I hope you weren't disappointed with the chapter either. I kept on getting stuck in the dialogues...but anyway, please review!


	5. Fifth Step

**A/N : ***does celebration dance* Okay, first of all, if you want this story to be updated more often, go to my profile page and read more about 'Project Hiatus Breaker'. If this gets the most votes, it will, and I mean will be completed at some point. Really quick ne?

Next, OMG I finally updated this! I was stuck at the very first part. But once I figured out what to do, the rest just...well, you know. Hope it isn't too bad or anything. And I'm sorry for keeping you waiting for so long. I was always surprised how this story would always get a bunch of hits even though it hasn't been updated. Do you like this story that much? O_O

Anyway, I've stalled you long enough. Enjoy the chappie! And review too please! And also please vote in the 'Hiatus Breaker Project!'

* * *

Fifth Step

_It's better to have a carnivore companion than having no one at all...right? _

-o-

It took me quite a while to get Tri to settle down in front of Ace. The rain outside was pouring, and since it came so quickly, I had to go out and find the little Tricera and run back here. Unfortunately, she still seems to remember that this was the predator that attacked her mom. At some point though, she must have sensed that the Carnotaurus wasn't a threat for now. That would explain why her gaze was directed at his wounded leg. Anyhow, it was already late, and I didn't have anything to eat for the entire afternoon and night.

The two other dinosaurs were sleeping beside each other. Strangely, Tri seemed to crave for the warmth of an adult, and Ace was the only one there so...yeah. She was now curled up nearby the meat-eater's belly. Thankfully he didn't seem to mind since he already dozed off as well. I was the only one wide awake and groaning from hunger.

The rainfall didn't show any signs of letting up any time soon, so I had no choice but to brave the storm and find some food. Running outside, I swiftly and instinctively went for shelter under the trees. From there, I was able to spot some berries that looked like the ones that Tri gave me before. Picking a couple, I hurriedly sprinted back to the cave with the grub in my arms. I was panting hard when I was finally under the roof, and well, I was soaking wet. From head to toe, but I would rather be like this then sleep with an empty stomach.

After eating the berries, I went nearby Ace and sat down; leaning on the smooth cave wall. The problem was that the cold temperature was starting to take a toll on my body, and I was shivering uncontrollably. I didn't think though that the Carnotaurus noticed it. _'Can't sleep human?'_

I was trembling so badly that I could only nod in reply. My teeth were chattering loudly, and rubbing my arms in an attempt to keep myself warm wasn't helping. The dinosaur noted this and reached out to me with his small arm. _'You might as well huddle closer. Sickness isn't a pretty way to die.'_

I sneezed. "What makes you think I'm gonna die from a cold?"

_'Hey, it's better to be safe than sorry.'_ Ace replied coolly. _'Any disease can be fatal if not attended quickly.'_

"Since when did you become a doctor?" I asked weakly. He seemed a little confused, but then he still gestured me to come closer to him. Hesitantly, I crawled towards the carnivore and lied down on his neck. I could already feel the warmth radiating from his body; it felt more comfortable now...

_'Better?'_

"Y-yeah..." I muttered as I felt my eyelids getting tired all of a sudden._ 'Get some sleep Rex. You'll need it.'_

I nodded again with a weary smile. "Thanks." and then I drifted off to sleep afterward.

* * *

It was dark. Terribly dark. Strange that I could still see my hands like I'm under a lamp or something. "Where am I?" I thought aloud; hoping that someone would answer me. Suddenly, a bright light shone out of nowhere; blinding me for a couple of moments. I shielded my eyes from the light with my arm, and when it faded, I was facing total chaos.

Dinosaurs of all kinds were running around everywhere. Bodies laid dead on the ground, most of them with huge burnt marks of large slash wounds. Others looked like they were trampled on, but I was more focused on the raging fire that spread throughout the land. Up above, I could see meteors falling; crashing to Earth a couple seconds later with a huge bang. The explosion broke the huge chunk of space rock so badly that sharp pieces were flying in all directions; stabbing creatures in its wake. The smell of burning flesh was in the air. I could hear voices screaming and shouting, crying and the sickening sound of blood being spilled. I covered my ears to try and block it out, but the voices kept echoing in my head. It only came to me now that these were the cries of the dinosaurs. This was the end of the world. _Their_ world. I saw this all before; when Max, Zoe and I first got the D-Tectors. But it wasn't this clear. No, this looked so much worse than what I saw before.

To my horror, I saw a baby Triceratops dodging the various meteorites that were falling from the dark red sky. It was Tri, and not far behind her was Ace; trying to catch up with the young dino. I tried to run to them; to say anything. But I couldn't. It was as if I was trapped in a sound-proof, invisible box. The only one who could hear my voice was me. I felt the wall right in front of me; hard and solid. I punched it; I kicked it. But it didn't even budge nor have a tiny scratch on it. And that's when I saw a large meteor heading straight for Ace. "_Ace_!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

He didn't hear me.

And in a split second, he was taken out. I couldn't even see if he had survived the impact. I heard Tri's cry. The meteor was on the ground. It was still covered in flames. And...a charred tail was sticking out. There was someone under that rock. Whoever he was, he was dead.

I felt a tear slid down my cheek. Just one, then more followed. I cried my heart out; I was already kneeling on the ground, not looking up. Not even daring to see the destruction that was brought upon the world.

I realized at that very moment that I never cried over them. The dinosaurs that perished because of all this. I don't think no one ever did. But now...now...it's right in front of me...now...

"_Ace_..!"

_

* * *

'Rex?'_

I jumped awake; my heart was pounding like crazy. I felt so lost, what exactly did I just see? What happened? "It was all a dream?"

_'Do humans do this often? Waking up like they nearly died or something?'_ Ace questioned me; his yellow eyes staring at my own. I touched my cheek; there were tears on it. I sighed deeply. "A nightmare..." I muttered. I rubbed my eyes and blinked a couple of times to get my vision to clear. There was sunlight streaming down from the cave's entrance. It was morning.

_'You've been asleep for some time now you know.'_ Ace said out of the blue. _'Tri went out to get some food. Well, food for you and her. I'll be fine for about a week I guess. Good thing I ate something before I got injured.'_ he then noticed that it looked like I wasn't listening to him at all. _'...hey, what was the nightmare about? Was it scary? Terrifying?'_ he asked with a hint of curiosity.

"...Ace, have you...ever heard of the end of the world?"

The carnivore looked at me with puzzlement. _'End of the world? What's that supposed to mean?'_

"...never mind. Forget I said anything." I stood up slowly and headed for the entrance of the cave. But then before I could even take a step, a sudden earthquake came out of nowhere. I fell from the shock, yet it wasn't too serious. The shaking subsided as soon as it came. Even if we were safe though, a blood-curling scream came from outside. I didn't hesitate to go out, but then I quickly remembered that Ace was injured-

_'I'll be fine. Go down there.'_ he muttered. I nodded in reply and went out to the open field. I then saw herds of dinosaurs crowding around in a circle. There was smoke coming out from the middle, and I had a really bad feeling. I heard Tri's barks from nearby; she was running towards me, shouting something I couldn't understand. The urgency in her eyes already gave me a hint of what she wanted to say.

I followed the baby dinosaur down the hill from where the cave was on top of and joined the other herbivores. Because of my size, I was able to squeeze through the legs of the large creatures with Tri behind my back. Pretty soon, we were able to see a clear view of what they were surrounding.

It was a huge brown rock. Gray smoke was still rising from it; it was as if it made the air around me hotter. I flinched when I saw there was a charred corpse right next to it. The body was small; maybe a hatchling. My guess was confirmed when I noted that there was a girl's voice crying somewhere in the crowd.

I was trembling badly. "_No_...not now..." without even thinking, I ran back to the cave where Ace was. I had to tell him. We _have_ to get out of here.

Just as I was about to go up the hill again, I heard another explosion nearby. There was more screaming, and there were more that got caught in the blast. I closed my eyes and kept on running. Finally, I was able to reach the mouth of the cavern; the Carnotaurus was still there lying on the soft soil. _'What's going on out there?'_ he asked me.

I was panting hard; almost hyperventilating. Ace's eyes already had that look of alertness. _'What is it?' _he asked again with more force.

I gulped. "Meteors...Ace, it's coming..."

_'What's coming?'_

"...the end of the dinosaurs."


	6. Sixth Step

Sixth Step

_No matter how powerful you are, always remember there is something above you._

-o-

_'What do you mean the end of the dinosaurs? Are you trying to pull my leg?'_ Ace asked; not amused by my sudden outburst. It would be normal for someone to react like this and I guess I looked pretty paranoid at that point. But I didn't care; I was panicking like crazy. I mean, all of our lives are at stake here!

"We have to find a safer place as quickly as we can. I don't think this cave is sturdy enough for falling meteorites." I ran to him and started to pull his arm as if I would pull a person to something important. But it was a whole lot different in my situation; dinosaurs don't seem to budge when that happens. _'Hold on, Rex. Are you sure there's going to be falling...what's that word?'_

"Meteorites."

_'Yeah, how sure are you that these things are going to fall down from the sky?'_

"It happened just now Ace..!" I shouted; my patience wearing thin. "There was a dinosaur that was killed when a meteor fell! And there are more coming! I know it sound illogical to go out in the open; but it's better than staying here where we won't be able to get out if the cave's entrance is blocked..!"

He could tell that I was running out of breath. There was a sense of concern in his eyes; it was probably because he never knew how on edge I could be. Honestly, neither could I. But this would be a good excuse to be like this though. There was a long silence that went on between the two of us that seemed to last for minutes before I heard Tri's alert barks at the mouth of the cave. She was looking more alarmed than I was; it was then I realized how dark the sky became.

I cursed to myself. "We really need to go. _Now_."

The Carnotaurus didn't hesitate standing up; though I noticed the small grunt that escaped his mouth. _'I guess I wasn't hurt that badly after all.'_

We ran out of the cave and met up with the small dinosaur; only to see that the meteors lodged on the ground seemed to have multiplied. Creatures were scrambling and panicking. The forest was on fire and it was spreading fast. For a moment we couldn't do anything but stare at the chaos that unfolded in front of us. Out of the blue I heard a sharp screech and a loud explosion. The noise that erupted was almost like a firecracker; but it was reversed. Instead of going up, these explosions were hitting the soil and sometimes...flesh.

I mentally slapped myself. _Don't just stand there! Run!_ I told myself. But even with that, I only felt my legs as soon as I realized there was a meteor headed right for the three of us. We all dodged it, and that's when my mind started reeling with thoughts and visions. What if we don't make it out? Did I make the wrong choice in leaving the cave? What if we all died in here?

Will I be able to ever see my friends and family again..?

Another explosion came from behind us; I glanced back and saw that the cave we were in moments ago was in flames and rubble. Well that was one decision I thought of correctly, but that didn't mean that we've escaped danger. We're right in the middle of a meteor shower that was striking the whole Earth. Probably no where was safe and not to mention that all dinosaurs supposedly died in this event. It made me wonder how cockroaches ever survived such an ordeal, but that question was quickly forgotten after I saw Tri running towards another dinosaur. "Cera?"

The older Tricera seemed to have smiled at me; maybe she was happy that I was still alive; she did look relieved. I was happy that Tri found her mom, but this isn't really the time for a reunion. Ace had the same idea and we both scrambled around; looking for shelter. Honestly I felt lost. What are we supposed to do in a meteor shower? Avoid getting hit and survive? There has to be a more sure-fire way for us to live-

A fiery rock zipped past by us; I could've sworn it was a few feet away from Ace's head. The huge space-thing landed and smashed two Ankylosaurus to oblivion. My head was starting to get dizzy; all I wanted now was for all this to stop. _Just stop_.

The smell of blood was heavy along with thick smoke. It was all like in the dream I had except I'm actually in it. Trying to stay alive; trying not to die. I couldn't find Tri and Cera anymore; they must've blended in the crowd of dinosaurs. I was on Ace's back now because he was worried that I might get trampled on. For a moment I wished I was still on the ground. Dying didn't look so bad when you're faced with nothing but destruction. Yet I kept on going because I can't die. Not here; I still have to find a way to get back to the others.

My mind wandered for a moment. How were Max and the others doing? I was in a hit-and-run accident and then I came here in the world of the dinosaurs. Am I dead back there? Maybe. So I guess that meant if I die here I wouldn't be able to go back anyway.

Should I give up?

_'Hang on human!'_ a voice suddenly cut through. Ace glanced at me for a moment. _'Hold on my neck if you want to live!'_

But I don't want to live. Not in a place like this.

_'Are you listening? Rex!'_

What's the point in running when death's door is right in front of you?

_'Snap out of it! You really want to die here?'_

I'm only human. So isn't it natural for me to accept my fate?

_'Rex!'_

I'm sorry Ace...

_'Look out!'_

* * *

It was like I was falling in to a bottomless pit. I could feel myself getting distant from my own body. I felt myself going numb. I couldn't see; I couldn't sense anything. There was a searing pain in my chest; I wanted it to stop so badly. The air around me grew cold; so cold. Slowly, my body began to fade; blending in the shadows.

Memories started to flood my mind. Of when I first met Dr. Owen, when I first met the Taylors; all the good and bad times. When I met Ace and began our quest on saving the dinosaurs. That mission sounded impossible now. How can we save them really? Do our actions really help them or hurt them?

Maybe they just want to be at peace and not fight anymore.

The pictures in my head soon left me. _Who am I?_

The pain in my chest vanished and I couldn't move. _Where am I?_

The pit seemed to have grown wider along with its never-ending darkness. _What am I...suppose to do?_

_...nothing._

_I guess this is goodbye._

_

* * *

_**A/N : **...intense. I was...having a hard time doing this. So...I feel like I'm spoiling the mood here. The next chapter will probably be the last one. So...yeah. Please Review. I don't really care if I got Rex super OOC here. My mind was messed up while trying to think of what happened next. Seriously, can a twelve-year-old kid really think straight when you're in the middle of an extinction event with dinosaurs?

Oh yeah, to **little writer girl**: I was about to send you a message but I can't seem to find your username anywhere in this site. Have you registered in fanfiction yet? Anyhow, if you want to put your stories here you have to first upload your chosen document in the site under the Publish tab, and with that you go to the Guidelines area first and read it. After that go to New Story, choose the right fandom of your fic and fill up the necessary areas like Title and Summary. I look forward to reading your stories. ^ ^


	7. Final Step

Final Step

_Pain_...

That was the first thing that I felt when I woke up. I could feel myself breathing; my chest moving up and down. The pain spread throughout my entire body like poison; and even though it hurt, I couldn't scream. Nothing came out of my mouth. I couldn't open my eyes; I couldn't move. It was like that time before...

Wait, _before_? What happened...before?

_...where am I?_

I was still frozen; locked in place as if I was bound. There was something holding me back, but strangely I couldn't feel anything touching me; everything felt numb. Yet there was that familiar movement; I was still breathing slowly...steadily. It was weird; the pain had vanished.

_Who am I..?_

Darkness surrounded me for who knows how long. It felt like an eternity. _Am I dead?_

Suddenly pictures started to cloud my already black vision. Everything was fuzzy, but I could make out one color out of it all.

Red. _Blood_ red.

I let out a groan; trying to actually move this time. More pictures came in, this time clearer than the previous ones and played itself like an old video. I was in a house; standing by the doorway to a bright living room with yellow walls and a bright ceiling. There were three people in there...two of which were taller than I was. One of them was standing right beside me and talking to me; yet I couldn't hear what he said. The third person in the room then approached me; he was around my height except for his brown, spiky hair that seemed to defy gravity somehow. The brunette smiled and outstretched his hand towards me.

_"Hi, my name's Max Taylor. You can just call me Max. What's your name?"_

I hesitated. _"...Rex."_ slowly, I took the hand he offered and then his grin grew bigger. _"I'm sure we'll be great friends Rex!"_

I couldn't help but smile back. _"Yeah. I'm sure we will."_

-o-

My eyes snapped open; the sudden jolt blurring my vision. All the pain and confusion was gone, and I found myself staring at a blank colored ceiling. "Huh?" I managed to mutter out. I found breathing hard; but I could still do it without wincing or anything. My sense of touch came back after that; my fingers felt the soft cloth that I was lying down on. I couldn't lift my head, but from what I can see by moving my head ever so slightly, I had a good guess as to where I am.

_I'm in the hospital. I'm actually...alive._

I sighed in relief; it was only then I noticed that I wasn't alone. I felt something else breathing beside me; it was peaceful, quiet. I smiled; Ace had been sleeping beside me the entire time under the blanket. I wondered for a moment how he had kept himself hidden for so long; the last time I checked pets aren't allowed to sleep in hospital rooms. I think-

_Wait, what happened to all the dinosaurs?_

I was about to sit up when I realized that the slightest movement made my entire body hurt; most especially my limbs. That meant that I really was hit by that car. That wasn't a dream at all. So does that mean that everything that happened up to when I woke up was also a dream? It can't be...it felt too real to simply be a dream...

My train of thought got interrupted when I heard a small click from the door at the right of my bed. I wanted to know what was going on, but then I decided to try something different. I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing; as if acting that I was still asleep. I waited for a voice; the footsteps in the room indicated that only one person entered. "...it's been three days..."

_It's Max..._

"The doctor said that you would wake up soon. But what if they're wrong..?" I sensed doubt, fear, and sadness in his voice. Has it been that long since I got in to that accident? "Rex...please wake up..." his voice grew shaky; I almost thought that there were tears in his eyes. Then again, maybe I was right. He did sound pretty wrecked...

A few seconds of silence passed; none of us spoke or made a sound...until I heard Max sniffle. He really was crying..."I...I don't want you to die..."

"And leave you alone? Who do you think I am Max?" I replied softly with a smirk. The brunette then yelled in shock and fell on the floor with a thud. "R-rex! You're...you're awake?"

I turned to him while opening my eyes and smiled. "Yeah. A little sore though-" I didn't get to finish my sentence because my friend then hugged me. Tightly. The sudden movement woke Ace up beside me who led him to scratch unintentionally at Max; causing him to fall back; again. "Ow!"

The Carnotaurus made a small huff and turned to me; his face suddenly shocked. _'Rex?'_

I was taken aback. "Ace...you..."

It was the blue dinosaur's turn to smirk. _'You had me lost there...suddenly passing out in the middle of the meteor shower.'_ I couldn't help but gape. So everything did happen? Wait, I could understand Ace? "So that wasn't a dream?" I muttered; stunned.

_'It looks like it. It seems that I also passed out a few moments after you did. When I woke up, something pinched my tail so I scratched it.'_ he glanced at the floor with the brunette now wincing and holding his arm to check the small wound. _'I guess that thing happened to be Max.'_

The next things that happened were a bit of a blur. Everyone suddenly came through the door; shocked and happy to see me alive and well; sitting up on the bed. I was then hugged more than ten times; tears were shed that could maybe fill a bath tub, and I was given the news that I could leave the hospital soon after a couple of check-ups to see if I'm truly alright. Dad told me though that most of my injuries have miraculously healed over the past few days and I can leave the accident behind without a scar or anything of the sort. So in a sense, I could leave that tragic memory behind as if it never happened.

But what none of them knew was that it did leave me with something that I'll never forget. I experienced first-hand about the dinosaurs' extinction. I could talk with my partner. I never did get to tell them all that before I left with my real parents. It's strange really...how I was able to remember everything so clearly even though it was months ago.

There were times when I wasn't studying that I wondered how Max and the others are doing back in their time...and sometimes I would question on how I was able to travel back in time after I got hit by that car. Either way, I was alive; well and breathing even after all that. I don't think anything else matters...especially since I'm back with my real parents in my real timeline.

Yet as I thought to myself before, I could never forget something like that as if it never happened. I could never forget the D-Team, the people that took care of me the first couple years of my life; the people that I stayed with for as long as I can recall. So I also can never forget the dinosaurs that also helped me when I was all alone. Of course, none of them ever knew about the experience I had. No, I didn't tell anyone, not even my parents.

The only one that knows is Ace who was always and will forever be my partner. He knows that too, and that is one secret we both share together.

_The End_

* * *

**A/N : **I have no idea how to write the final _final _part for this fic...so sorry if the last words were pretty bad. Anyway, wow. Can't believe it. It wasn't my original intention to finish this now...but here I am readying to post this to the world...the last chapter for One Step Forward.

Thank you, all of you who have reviewed and supported this story. ^ ^ I really appreciate that you like this story (since before I swear this was just another one of my random ideas.) Again, thanks. Please review one last time everyone? :) Haha...I suck at final words.


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